A Review  of  Opinions 
Concerning  The  Evangelical  Test 
in  American  Associations 


Recipients  of  this  pamphlet  are  requested  to  treat 
it  as  a confidential  communication  and  allow  no  part 
of  it  to  become  a matter  of  general  information  or 
publication. 


G K Shurtleff  Cleveland 
5 Cts  per  copy 


A STATEMENT 


To  satisfactorily  answer  the  hundreds  of  letters  which  have  come 
to  me  concerning  the  opinions  of  association  men  on  the  question 
of  continuing  or  changing  the  evangelical  test,  as  a basis  of  active 
membership  in  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association,  necessitates 
the  issuance  of  this  general  review  of  the  situation.  Perhaps  in  some 
measure,  it  may  be  a source  of  helpfulness  to  those  who  are  interested 
in  a study  of  the  problem. 

It  is  evident  that  neither  the  ultra-conservatives  nor  the  ultra- 
liberals can  eventually  control  the  policy  of  the  organization.  There 
is  a much  greater  body  of  conservatively  progressive  men,  who  think 
accurately,  see  clearly,  and  will  act  dispassionately  in  the  final  adjust- 
ment of  its  fundamental  standards. 

To  a careful  consideration  of  the  statements  offered  by  men  of 
diverse  opinions,  I therefore  respectfully  call  your  attention,  with  the 
sincere  hope  that  your  reading  may  be  without  prejudice. 

G K Shurtleff 

Cleveland,  November  1907 


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I 


The  Situation 

A “questionaire”  addressed  to  more  than  600  general  secretaries, 
inviting  their  opinions  as  to  whether  there, 

1.  Should  be  a revision  of  the  present  standard  of  active  mem- 
bership ? 

2.  An  alternate  basis  adopted? 

3.  Or  whether  the  whole  matter  should  be  dropped? 

resulted  in  538  replies:  67  of  these  would  prefer  to  consider 

a revision  of  the  paragraph  in  the  present  test,  which  defines  the 
phrase,  “Evangelical  Church.” 

327  expressed  themselves  as  preferring  an  alternate  statement; 
144  would  deprecate  any  attempt  to  discuss  either  a revision  or  alter- 
nate statement  at  the  Washington  convention. 

There  seems  to  be  less  sectionalism  in  the  complexion  of  the 
answers  than  was  anticipated.  All  sections  of  the  country  contain 
representatives  of  the  varying  shades  of  opinions.  It  was  made  very 
evident,  however,  that  whatever  action  is  considered,  there  must  be 
adherence  to  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  “Deity  of  Jesus  Christ” 
in  any  contemplated  change.  This  was  expressed  in  so  overwhelm- 
ing a manner  that  no  doubt  is  possible  concerning  the  position  which 
would  be  taken  by  the  employed  force  of  the  association. 

The  college  men  entered  the  discussion  with  great  heart  and 
keen  intelligence.  Their  demand  is  insistent  for  some  kind  of  reme- 
dial legislation.  The  following  excerpts  from  letters,  describe  the 
feeling  in  scores  of  our  educational  institutions. 

“We  are  marking  time  here  ; not  doing  much,  waiting  and  looking  for  a brighter 
day,  when  progress  will  be  possible  under  a revised  test  of  membership.” 

“The  prejudice  against  us  in  this  college  is  strong,  growing  and  becoming  vindic- 
tive. The  faculty  is  against  us  because  of  the  narrow  sectarian  spirit  which  they  claim 
our  condition  of  membership  forces.” 


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“Our  Committee  will  await  the  action  of  the  Washington  convention  with  much 
concern,  for  the  question  is  vital  to  us.  To  go  on  under  the  present  condition  will  be 
impossible.” 

“I  suppose  we  shall  live  any  way,  because  we  have  a building,  but  the  strong 
fellows,  especially  the  ‘fiats’  are  not  interested.  There  have  got  to  be  several  changes 
before  we  shall  be  a wholesome  influence  in  the  College.” 


To  an  association  man  concerned  with  the  future  of  the  organ- 
ization, the  natural  query  is,  How  far  can  the  convention  go  in  dis- 
regarding the  general  feeling  of  these  men  without  inviting  a schis- 
matic movement? 

Among  the  225  Railroad  Associations,  151  have  responded  to 
to  an  inquiry  covering  the  following  : 

1 . Is  your  Board  appointed  or  elected  ? 

2.  If  appointed,  by  whom  ? 

3.  If  elected,  do  you  allow  others  than  evangelical  church  members  to  vote? 

4.  Have  you  men  on  your  Board  who  are  not  members  of  an  evangelical  church? 

5 . If  so,  do  you  think  them  desirable  officers  ? 

The  replies  showed  that  26  per  cent  were  “off  the  test”  in  one 
way  and  another.  Some  had  non-church  communicants  on  their 
Boards  of  Directors,  others  allowed  all  members  to  vote,  while  1 5 
now  observing  the  Portland  basis,  but  not  counted  in  the  above  per- 
centage, wished  that  some  change  in  the  rule  could  be  made  “for  the 
good  of  the  service.” 

It  is  understood  that  the  International  office,  in  behalf  of  the 
Committee  on  Credentials,  is  already  notifying  associations  on  bases 
differing  from  the  Portland  test  that  their  delegates  will  not  be 
admitted  to  voting  membership  in  the  Washington  convention.  By 
the  same  token,  it  would  seem  that  associations  professing  allegiance 
to  the  test,  but  notoriously  disregarding  its  plain  provisions,  should 
also  be  disbarred  from  participation.  The  course  of  the  committee 
in  this  respect,  will  be  an  interesting  study. 

4 


As  to  the  local  associations,  no  direct  effort  has  been  made  to 
obtain  data.  There  are,  however,  102  organizations  known  to  be 
disregarding  in  part  or  as  a whole,  the  conditions  imposed  by  the 
evangelical  test. 


The  Insistent  Question 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  incomplete  analysis  of  the  situation, 
the  question  of  policy  is  immediate.  What  shall  we  do  with  the  sit- 
uation ? Allow  matters  to  drift  until  our  equivocal  position  becomes 
a scandal?  Disfranchise  non-concurring  associations  at  the  Wash- 
ington meeting?  Attempt  remedial  legislation  for  the  relief  of  those 
who  are  not  now  with  us  or  enact  a “curative”  resolution  which  will 
hold  matters  in  statu  quo  until  such  time  as  the  convention  shall  be 
forced  to  consider  the  problem  ? 


II 


The  Conservative  Position 

Those  who  favor  “letting  the  whole  matter  drop”  and . doing 
nothing  at  the  Washington  convention  are  curiously  enough  divided 
into  two  parties. 

1.  Those  whose  opinions  would  find  expression  in  the  pre- 
amble to  a resolution  by  the  Missouri  State  Convention  held  in  1906. 


“Believing  that  the  unexampled  prosperity  enjoyed  by  the  Association  in  recent 
years,  is  to  be  attributed  under  the  blessing  of  God  to  the  confidence  of  His  people, 
begotten  and  inspired  by  our  loyalty  to  His  Divine  Word,  and  to  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  Evangelical  Christianity,  we  recommend  that  we  affirm  our  allegiance  to  the 
Evangelical  test  of  active  membership,  and  to  the  definition  of  Evangelical  churches  as 
adopted  by  the  International  Convention  of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations  held 
at  Portland,  Maine  in  1869.” 


5 


2.  Those  whose  convictions  are  summed  up  in  a letter  which 
reads  as  follows : — 

“The  normal  way  in  which  advancing  communities  get  rid  of  their  blue  laws  and 
creedal  restrictions,  is  just  to  let  them  fall  into  ‘innocuous  desuetude.’  A sycamore  lets 
its  old  bark  quietly  dry  up,  and  drop  off.  I think  if  we  have  not  got  beyond  the  Paris 
basis,  the  time  has  not  come  to  make  any  move.  To  insist  that  Jesus  is  ‘our  God’  is  not 
a New  Testament  idea.  Paul  would  not  have  assented  to  it  for  a moment.  He  asserts 
that  man  is  as  much  above  woman  as  God  is  above  Christ.” 


It  means  that  the  growing  spirit  of  liberalism,  in  their  opinion, 
will  soon  develop  to  the  point,  where  greater  latitude  could  be  gained 
in  some  future  convention  rather  than  in  the  one  about  to  be  held, 
because  the  situation  will  reach  such  an  acute  crisis  that  action  will 
be  imperative  to  prevent  organic  division. 

These  two  factions  represent  the  spirit  of  conservatism  as  it 
stands  today  in  opposition  to  a progressive  standard.  One  is  the 
conservatism  of  the  theologian;  the  other  the  conservatism  of  the 
politician. 

Ill 

The  Revisionists’  Point  of  View 

From  a few,  too  few,  to  be  called  a party,  yet  men  whose  opin- 
ions must  be  considered,  comes  the  demand  for  the  adoption  of  a 
definition  of  “Evangelical  Church”  to  take  the  place  of  the  present 
statement  in  the  Portland  resolution  as  follows: 

“We  hold  those  churches  to  be  evangelical  that  are  entitled  to  representation  in 
the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  under  the  action  taken  by  the 
Inter-Church  Conference,  held  in  New  York  City,  November  1905.” 

Its  proponents  present  the  following  reasons  for  its  substitution; 

1.  “It  would  again  and  more  emphatically  proclaim  our  loyalty 
to  the  evangelical  churches.” 


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2.  “It  would  not  in  any  way  change  the  present  basis.” 

3.  “It  is  so  innocuous  that  its  passage  ought  to  be  easy  in  a 
convention  such  as  will  be  held  in  Washington.” 

4.  “It  would  satisfy  those  who  want  some  change  without  really 
giving  them  anything.” 

The  above  considerations  were  submitted  to  twelve  wise  men 
for  judgment.  Their  replies  group  themselves  under  the  following 
statements : 

1.  “Who  knows  what  the  Church  Federation  will  stand  for 
five  years  from  now  on  the  fundamentals  of  evangelical  Christianity; 
they  may  have  admitted  Unitarians  by  that  time  and  then  we  shall 
be  bound  by  their  action.” 

2.  “Because  it  is  meaningless — simply  a politician’s  way  of 
temporarily  smoothing  over  and  side  tracking  a difficult ‘proposition.”  ’ 

3.  “It  would  seem  to  shoulder  our  responsibility  off  on  to 
another  body  of  Christians.  We  ought  to  be  competent  enough  to 
determine  our  own  policies.” 

IV 

Concerning  a Commission 

From  fifteen  secretaries,  without  particular  relation  to  their  own 
convictions,  but  an  evident  fear  that  some  hasty  action  may  be  taken, 
comes  the  suggestion  that  a Commission  be  appointed,  made  up  of 
representatives  from  evangelical  schools,  churches,  colleges  and  theo- 
ligical  seminaries,  to  spend  the  intervening  three  years  before  the 
next  convention,  in  making  a careful  study  of  the  situation  and  offer- 
ing a new  test,  which  shall  be  considered  for  adoption. 

The  need  of  men  with  trained  minds,  accustomed  to  careful  ex- 
pression, and  versed  in  all  the  intricacies  of  theological  opinion  and 
formula,  is  deemed  by  the  supporters  of  this  proposition  as  essential 
to  the  intelligent  solution  of  the  question. 

To  make  haste  now,  they  contend,  may  result  in  years  of  regret 
and  the  loss  of  irrecoverable  ground. 

7 


This  was  submitted  for  consideration  to  six  men  of  judgment 
and  in  sympathy  with  conservative  action.  As  a matter  of  record, 
not  one  of  the  six  approved  of  the  suggestion.  One  of  the  number 
replied  by  a letter  which  seemed  to  epitomize  the  expressions  of  the 
several  correspondents.  It  is  as  follows: 

“At  first,  the  suggestion  impressed  me  as  fair,  particularly  as  I dreaded  the  con- 
tentions which  seemed  unavoidable  if  the  matter  ever  reached  the  debatable  stage  in  the 
Convention.  Personally,  I am  in  doubt  as  to  the  wisest  course  and  would  gladly  shift 
the  burden  of  deciding  the  problem  to  say  twenty-one,  such  men  as  the  Convention 
would  undoubtedly  select.  But  after  a second  consideration  of  the  matter,  a conversa- 
tion with  my  pastor  and  President of. College, 

I have  about  concluded  that  it  would  be  the  most  dangerous  policy  to  pursue,  because, 
do  you  not  see,  that  we  would  have  three  years  of  turmoil,  beside  which  the  times  pre- 
ceding the  Buffalo  Convention,  would  not  be  a marker.  Wire  pulling,  log  rolling  and 
other  unseemly  methods  would  characterize  the  attitude  of  all  strong  partisans.  I doubt, 
too,  whether  a satisfactory  committee  could  be  selected.  If  it  were  pre-eminently  liberal, 
then  I would  be  dissatisfied.  If  it  were  filled  wTith  my  school  of  believers,  then  you 
would  be  ready  to  fight  and  if  we  tried  between  us  to  select  them  half  and  half,  then  the 
Committee  itself  would  rangle  for  three  years  and  get  nowhere.  So,  probably  the  best 
course,  to  save  the  Association  much  embarrassment  will  be  to  settle  it  in  open  Conven- 
tion if  we  have  to.  At  least,  we  can  do  it  with  less  loss  of  time  and  temper.  My 
experienced  friends,  in  whose  judgment  I have  confidence,  warn  me  against  the  dangers 
of  a commission.  Better  they  say,  and  I agree,  do  nothing  than  run  such  unknown 
risks.” 

V 

An  Advanced  Position 

A very  popular  suggestion  has  been  offered  by  an  eastern 
general  secretary.  It  finds  many  hearty  sympathizers  among  the 
New  England  associations,  both  local  and  college.  Several  colleges 
in  the  central  west  would  also  approve  it.  It  is  as  follows: 

“The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations  seek  to  unite  those  young  men,  members 
of  the  Christian  Church,  who,  taking  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their  guide,  desire  to  be 
disciples  of  Jesus  Christ  in  life  and  service  and  to  associate  their  efforts  in  the  extension  of 
His  Kingdom  among  young  men.” 


8 


This  reads  almost  like  the  Paris  basis,  but  its  differences  are 
significant.  In  brief,  it  omits  reference  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ’s 
deity.  However,  its  friends  claim  for  it  absolute  fidelity  to  the 
teachings  of  the  New  Testament  and  catholicity  enough  to  include  all 
“who  profess  and  call  themselves  Christians.”  They  say  that  it 
will  stand  the  “acid  test”  of  theological  criticism.  There  has  been 
some  doubt  expressed  by  its  warmest  advocates,  as  to  whether  the 
delegates  at  the  forthcoming  convention,  will  stand  for  a test  which 
puts  “principle  before  dogma  and  the  truth  above  tradition.”  Its 
approval  would  probably  satisfy  a larger  number  of  persons  not  now 
working  with  us,  than  any  other  that  has  been  suggested.  The 
strongly  orthodox  men,  to  whom  it  has  been  referred  for  criticism,  do 
not  object  to  it  for  anything  which  it  says,  but  rather  for  important 
doctrinal  statements  which  it  seems  to  avoid.  Its  course  before  the 
convention  will  be  worth  observing,  for  about  it  centers  the  crux  of 
the  problem. 


VI 

The  Paris  Basis 

During  the  several  months  through  which  the  correspondence 
has  been  in  progress,  in  many  letters  and  in  casual  conversations,  the 
Paris  basis  has  been  alluded  to  as  the  most  desirable  form,  in  which 
an  alternate  statement  could  be  phrased,  both  on  account  of  its 
scriptural  soundness  and  its  felicitous  expression.  It  seemed  natural, 
therefore,  that  a gathering  ot  college  general  secretaries  meeting  in 
Niagara  Falls  last  June,  should  have  proposed  it  for  the  consideration 
of  the  Brotherhood  with  two  additions,  i e,  “membership  in  some 
Christian  Church”  or  “a  declaration  ot  intention  to  unite  with  a 
Christian  Church;”  (this  declaration  would  apply  to  College  Associa- 
tions only.) 

The  principle  upon  which  such  a basis  would  rest  would  be  two 
fold  as  follows : 


9 


1 . The  applicant  must  be  a member  of  some  Christian  Church.* 

2.  The  applicant  must  sign  the  following  statement  of  desire  and  purpose: 

“The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations  seek  to  unite  those  young  men,  who, 

regarding  Jesus  Christ  as  their  God  and  Saviour,  according  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  desire 
to  be  His  disciples,  in  their  doctrine  and  in  their  life,  and  to  associate  their  efforts  for  the 
extension  of  His  Kingdom  among  young  men.” 

The  men  who  stand  for  this  statement  maintain  its  adherence  to 
scriptural  truth,  its  comprehensiveness,  its  conservativeness,  its  real 
breadth  and  simplicity.  They  have  suggested  the  following  reasons : 

i.  The  membership  would  be  purified.  As  it  now  stands, 
many  unfit  men  gain  active  membership  because  of  their  formal 
membership  in  some  evangelical  church.  Their  life  and  conduct  is  a 
scandal  in  many  communities.  The  signing  of  this  basis  does  not 
reflect  on  the  judgment  of  the  church.  The  church  demands  a 
special  and  particular  pledge  of  its  members  when  they  would  join 
such  societies  as  the  Epworth  League,  the  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavor,  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew,  the  Baptist  Young 
People’s  Union  and  other  similiar  organizations.  The  method, 
therefore,  is  in  conformity  with  ecclesiastical  precedent. 

1.  It  would  continue  our  relation  to  the  Church  as  at  present. 
To  define  the  term  ‘‘Christian  Church”  would  be  as  difficult  as  to 
define  the  phrase  “Evangelical  Church.”  The  word  “Evangelical” 
does  not  mean  the  same  thing  that  it  did  fifty  years  ago.  It  does  not 
mean  the  same  thing  in  Hong  Kong  or  Calcutta  or  Shanghai  that  it 
does  in  London,  New  York  and  St.  Louis  today. 

3.  It  would  put  the  American  Associations  on  practically  the 
same  basis  as  Associations  in  other  countries.  Today  we  stand  aloof 
and  eccentric.  Such  an  adoption  would  tend  to  organic  unity  in  the 
world’s  movement  for  saving  men. 


*In  College  Associations,  the  declarative  clause  would  be  added,  because  many 
young  men,  converted  during  the  college  year,  would  be  excluded  from  active  membership, 
on  account  of  their  inability  to  unite  with  their  family  church  until  their  return  home  at 
the  end  of  their  college  year. 


10 


4.  It  would  admit  members  of  the  Roman,  Universalist  and  Un- 
itarian Churches  now  excluded,  provided  they  were  with  us  in  “life 
and  doctrine”  and  would  so  signify  by  signing  the  basis.  We  have 
Unitarians,  Universalists,  etc.  with  us  now  in  the  active  mem- 
bership, but  they  come  in  as  members  of  Congregational,  Baptist, 
Methodist,  Presbyterian  or  Episcopal  Churches.  The  feeling  among 
many  is  that  the  present  “deal  is  not  square.” 

5.  It  is  a much  simpler  statement,  less  theological,  less  meta- 
physical, less  polemic,  than  the  present  one  and  easier  to  defend  and 
explain. 

6.  Its  adoption  would  save  years  ot  discord  and  uncertainty. 

In  opposition  to  this  position,  Mr  Thomas  Gillespie  ot  Pitts- 
burg has  published  the  following  criticism : 

1.  It  would  change  our  relation  to  the  Evangelical  Churches. 

2.  The  terms  used  are  too  indefinite  and  would  lead  to  endless  confusion  in 
interpretation  and  practice. 

3.  It  gives  greater  weight  to  the  statement  of  an  applicant  for  membership  in  our 
Associations  than  to  his  Confession  of  Christ  made  in  his  own  church. 

4.  Those  who  are  orthodox  in  their  belief,  but  are  members  of  churches  now 
excluded  from  active  membership  in  our  Associations,  can  more  readily  change  their 
church  relations  than  we  can  change  our  Evangelical  Test. 

5.  The  proposal  is  decidedly  a retrograde  movement,  taking  us  back  to  the 
Association’ s position  of  forty  years  ago. 


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PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEEDURE 

A clause  of  rule  No  4 in  “Rules  of  the  International  Convention 
of  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations”  reads  as  follows: 

The  President  shall  appoint  the  following  standing  Committees: 

“A  Committee  on  Resolutions,  to  which  all  resolutions,  memorials  and  propositions 
shall  be  handed,  on  or  before  the  second  day  of  the  session  of  the  Convention,  each 
paper  to  contain  the  name  of  the  proposer  and  the  name  of  the  Association  he  represents ; 
these  resolutions  to  be  at  once  referred  to  the  Committee  without  reading.” 


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